Minister of Agriculture and Environment, Dr Linkham Douangsavanh, chairs a biodiversity meeting on Friday.

Laos eyes regional leadership in nature-positive investments

Laos is looking to take the lead in regional nature-positive investments by developing a national framework to ensure that development projects do not harm biodiversity.
To achieve this leadership goal, the government plans to enforce a strict policy where the operators of new development projects must prove no net loss to the environment.
This strategy is designed to attract green finance, de-risk large projects, and boost foreign investors’ confidence in Laos.
Minister of Agriculture and Environment, Dr Linkham Douangsavanh, drove this initiative forward during a high-level meeting held in Vientiane on Friday. He stressed that adopting international best practices is vital to balance economic growth with environmental protection under the government’s Green Growth strategy.
To enforce this standard, the ministry will draft a new decree and a Prime Minister’s Order. The new national framework will allow Laos to pool offset funds to protect large, priority landscapes, rather than managing small, separate sites.
The policy shift has strong technical and financial backing from the Asian Development Bank, the Wildlife Conservation Society, and the Government of the United Kingdom.
“Achieving biodiversity ‘no net loss’ is not a constraint, but an opportunity to strengthen investor confidence, enhance development outcomes, and position Laos as a regional leader in nature-positive investment,” ADB Country Director for the Lao PDR, Ms Shanny Campbell, was quoted as saying.
“ADB remains committed to supporting the Lao government in translating policy ambition into practical solutions, in close collaboration with development partners and stakeholders, to strengthen the country’s resilience and unlock inclusive and sustainable growth. In addition, it’s important to not only look to doing better in the future but also to address the current challenges in existing no net loss programmes,” she said.
Mekong Development Counsellor at the British Embassy to Laos, Mr Louis Mulvaney, said “The United Kingdom is proud to work closely with the Lao government and partners to support biodiversity conservation and sustainable development.”
“By promoting nature-positive investment, we aim to safeguard vital ecosystems and strengthen resilience. We encourage continued collaboration and shared commitment to conserving Laos’ rich biodiversity for future generations.”
Deputy Country Director of the Wildlife Conservation Society Lao PDR, Mrs Manoly Sisavanh, said the organisation would continue to support efforts to balance conservation with economic growth.
“We look forward to helping translate these principles into practical systems that support responsible development, stronger biodiversity governance, and the long-term protection of Laos’ rich biodiversity through a strong conservation sector, recognising that sustainable economic growth and the conservation of nature must advance together,” Mrs Manoly said.
The meeting ended with stakeholders pledging continued cooperation to advance the biodiversity no net loss and net gain policy through stronger partnerships between the government, investors, development institutions, and conservation groups.

By Times Reporters
 (Latest Update May 26, 2026)